Ingredients:
- Oil for Frying. Why not use Rapeseed Oil??
- Large handful of Fresh Sage Leaves
- 5 Smoked Streaky bacon Rashers ( I used a Smoked Bacon Chop from our local Butchers – Mansion Farm)
- 1 large Leek, finely sliced
- 2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
- 250g Arborio or Canarolli Risotto Rice. You could also use the same amount of Pearl Barley instead.
- 150ml Dry White Wine
- 800ml Hot Vegetable Stock
- 80g Soft Goats Cheese
Method:
- Heat the oven to 200c/ 180c fan/ gas 6. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan over a medium heat, fry the sage until crisp. Set aside and tip out about half of the oil. Fry the bacon over a medium heat until crisp on all sides. Set half aside with the sage.
- Add the Leek to the rest of the bacon in the pan and cook for 5 minutes until softened and lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then stir in the rice and turn up the heat slightly. Add the Wine and let it bubble. When the Wine has reduced by half, stir in the stock a ladle full at a time. At this stage you could add all of the stock and then transfer to a baking dish with a lid and cook in the oven for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender. Or you can keep stirring and add a ladle full of stock between each stirring session waiting for the liquid to be incorporated into the rice until you get the desired rice consistency. I like it quite nutty.
- Stir in some Fresh chopped Sage if you want and most of the Goats Cheese until melted, then serve the risotto with the remaining Bacon, Cheese and Sage scattered on top.
